You Don't Hate Me

A Week Later

Kari and I haven't talked in a week and I'm worried about it. I don't know if I can call her out of the blue or just go over. It feels too weird. At least I have someone else to talk to now.

I pick up my phone and open my socials, texting D, asking if he was free to talk.

He responded, 'yeah, would you like to meet up or something?'

I text, ' Meet at the park in your neighborhood in a half hour.'

' Will do.'

I crack a small smile, grabbing my bag and heading out the door. Kari doesn't go to the park unless she's down so it should be fine. Thirty minutes later I'm sitting near a pond with D and we just talked about anything and everything. It got to the point where I felt that he was mature enough to answer an important question,

" So, I wanted to ask you something."

" shot."

I pause, trying to think of the best way to put things.

" Say you had 2 friends and one of them got drunk and kinda came onto the other friend. Let's say that the other friend wasn't really opposed to the proposition but the drunk person never remembered and now things are complicated. What would you do to fix a situation like that?"

He freezes for a second, trying to process everything, and lets out a sigh,

" I think the sober friend should tell the drunk friend what went down because they have a right to know what happened while they were inebriated."

I felt so selfish then, never even thinking about how Kari might have felt not knowing what had happened and it's been weeks since then. I felt like a piece of shit until D said,

" Does this hypothetical have anything to do with you and Kari at my party last week? I heard you guys making out in my room. You forgot that we agreed that I'd sleep on the floor to avoid suspicion from my parents if they came back."

My entire chest felt like it would burst out of my body and run for the hills.

" you heard us?"

" Yeah, sorry. It wasn't my intent and it's not like I stayed either which is why I was sleeping on the couch." he starts rubbing his knees, seemingly feeling guilty from accidental spying.

" It's okay, honestly I think we should be saying sorry. Plus it was your room and we did...more than make out. Sorry about that." I crack an awkward smile not knowing what kind of face to make for having sex in a stranger's bed at a party.

" It's okay, I saw the way she looks at you. I'm sure she was just making a statement- assuming she was the drunk friend and you were the sober one."

" yeah." I giggled awkwardly. Still do not feel completely comfortable with the conversation. Though I was glad it was him, he's so cool and down to earth that it makes it a little easier when you don't feel judged.

" um, thanks. This is nice, it's been a while since Kari and I talked and I had to get this off my chest but I see what you mean about telling her- you're right, she has a right to know." We smiled at one another, D proud that someone took his advice, and me for finally having a second friend.

" What does Kari have a right to know?" Kari shouted from a short distance away.

" Oh hey, K. What are you doing at the park?" I am trying to change the topic.

" I should be asking you the same thing. You live like 30 minutes away from here, why'd you come all this way and not tell me?" she makes eyes with D and he felt pure rage and stood up to leave,

" Well, I'm sure you both have things to talk about so I guess I'll just hit the dusty trail." he turns and quickly says, " See ya, Kim. Text me later." as he speeds and walks away. Leaving Kari and me alone.

" So, did you only come up here to hang out with him?" she bites her lip in frustration, clearly holding back much more than she wanted to say.

" It's not what it looks like, I know you like him and I just wanted to get to know him cause if you started dating him then I at least wanted to like him." her face changed but I didn't exactly know what it meant, she looked sad but almost relieved. I didn't know what was going on but what I did know was that I had to tell her what went down at the party.

" Kari, could you sit with me? There's something I have to tell you about the party we went to a couple of weeks ago." My fidgeting increased as my plums started to sweat and my heart raced.

" God, not you too." she huffs.

" w-what do you mean?"

" It's nothing, just tell me what you wanted to say." she shrugged as she sat next to me.

I couldn't think of anything else that could've made her upset.

It must have happened throughout the week and she just didn't tell me, but I can't be upset with her right now.

" Well, you how- you don't remember but I- how much do you remember from that night, again?"

" I told you. It was when you went to the bathroom and I went looking for you."

" right, well a-after that we- uh, Well- you kind of kissed me, like, a lot."

Kari froze, seemingly taking in the information, I grit my teeth, in anticipation.

" I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to put you in such an uncomfortable position. Was that...all I did?" she leans in hoping Kimmy would be honest and tell her everything.

" Yeah. I think so." slapping her lap with both hands, then remembered what D said, " actually no. there was more- much more."

Kari takes a deep breath knowing that this is it.

" We had sex. Amazing sex and I am so sorry I didn't stop it beforehand, I know you were drunk and I took advantage of you and it was wrong of me, I'm so so so sorry." I blurted out quickly hoping the bandage method was much better than the slow drip.

" Wait, you- you liked it?" Kari's eyes widened.

" Yes, a lot. It's been the only thing on my mind since then."

" Me too."

I looked at her making a confused face,

" What do you mean by that? You said you didn't remember." I slowly started to sit up as I waited for an explanation.

" Look, the truth is... I only had one cup of beer that night but when I saw you alone with D it just drove me nuts, I didn't know what else to do so I played drunk."

I didn't know why but my face got heated and all I wanted to do was scream. You've had me in emotional turmoil over a BOY!?

" I should probably go." I stood up very calmly, " If you didn't want me to talk to the guy you liked you could have just told me. I'm- I wasn't even into him."

She looked shocked, opening her mouth like she wanted to say something to me but I walked off before she could hurt me again. While I walked out of sight I pulled out my phone and texted her, I think I need some time away from this friendship. I'll text you when I'm ready to talk again.

I didn't know what this meant for us but I didn't need her to be a constant reminder of something I thought was real but was a manipulation tactic.